“Hey, Einstein!,” says a kid at the beginning of this new extended look at Genius, possibly marking the first non-sarcastic use of those words ever. Starring Geoffrey Rush as the man whose name is synonymous with all things brainy, Genius, coming this April, is National Geographic’s first scripted anthology series.

Exec produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the series is based on Walter Isaacson’s critically acclaimed best-seller Einstein: His Life and Universe.

The series boasts an all-star cast: Rush as the elder Einstein; British newcomer Johnny Flynn as the younger version; and Emily Watson as the great man’s second wife—and first cousin—Elsa Einstein. The first episode is directed by Ron Howard, making his bow as a director of scripted television.

The 10-episode series follows Einstein through his early days as a patent clerk with a rebellious streak, through his difficulties landing a teaching gig and on to, as Nat Geo says, unlocking “the mysteries of the atom and the universe.”

He also has some trouble unlocking the mysteries of the opposite sex: “For an expert on the universe, you don’t know the first thing about people,” says a young woman after being politely propositioned by the very married Albert.